A group of Australian cyclists is hoping to make the world a safer place for bikes today. For one hour from 6 to 7 p.m. anyone who owns a bicycle anywhere in the world is encouraged to strap on a helmet and hit the street, all in an effort to make their cities more bicycle friendly.

It is the latest in a string of similar initiatives that has included ride-to-work days, critical mass rides even world naked bike rides.

Initiated by University of Newcastle academic and cyclist Steven Fleming, Bike Hour is meant to encourage people with bikes to actually use them. Fleming believes many bikes, particularly in Australia, languish in sheds and garages because people don’t feel safe using them on city streets.

On Fleming’s blog cycle-space.com he estimates there are 12 million bicycles in the country. “Yet Australia has virtually no designated bike paths, of the kind taken for granted, and heavily patronized, in countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands. It’s like we have stockpiles of trains, but no tracks.”

Fleming is convinced cyclists in Australia are more interested in enjoying their bikes than demonstrating on them. So his concept of a Bike Hour is more of an observance — “an idea” more than a demonstration. It will be held twice a year, on the equinox, to illustrate their numbers.

For one hour they will make their presence known, the site states. Participants are encouraged to use social media to share the experience.

He says the concept has gone viral — that even though it is largely unorganized, cyclists across Europe, Asia and North America have expressed interest in participating through his blog. But the success of the event may be difficult to gauge because cycling for many is a solitary activity, says Fleming. There is no need to gather in groups, he says.

As the poster instructs: “No registration. No meet-ups. No excuses. Just ride.”

For that reason Jared Kolb of the Toronto Cyclists Union, the city’s largest cycling advocacy organization, isn’t sure if the event will spark a lot of interest locally. “I haven’t seen a lot of talk on local blogs,” he says.

But once social media gets the message out this could get big, and fast, says Kolb — “especially if the weather stays gorgeous.”

Depending on what you use as a benchmark, Toronto is slowly becoming a safe city to bicycle.

For example, beginning this summer a curbed cyclist lane will be installed that runs along Sherburne St. from Bloor St. to Front St.

“These lanes are typically painted which doesn’t do much to allay cyclists’ fears,” says Kolb.

Now, he says, the push is on for a similar lane to travel east-west along Richmond St. or Adelaide St. A 2001 bike plan which called for 1,100 kms of bicycle paths throughout the city — has resulted in 400 kms being built.

“It moves along at the speed of a turtle,” says Kolb.

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